


Gods and Monsters

by arrovera



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore
Genre: AU, F/M, Modern Universe, alternative universe, athena is a badass, hades is a lawyer, hopefully, idk where this story is going, many of the olympians are diplomats
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-19
Updated: 2020-04-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:20:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,029
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23226211
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arrovera/pseuds/arrovera
Summary: "I once had dreams of becoming a beautiful poet, but upon an unfortunate series of events saw those dreams dashed and divided like a million stars in the night sky that I wished on over and over again, sparkling and broken.But I didn't really mind because I knew that it takes getting everything you ever wanted, and then losing it to know what true freedom is."Kora goes through the motions of life, there's not much that motivates her in high school. Not until Athena, her older sister, encourages her to join a rigorous class competing at a national level. Through the competition she meets, Aidon, a ferocious lawyer with history with her father, a history no one speaks of or even acknowledges.A modern AU with characters based off Greek mythology.
Relationships: Hades & Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Hades/Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore)
Comments: 1
Kudos: 5





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Land of Gods and monsters, aka L.A is home to money, fame, and paparazzi which only lead to innocence lost.

Face straight out of a magazine, name printed on a daily if not hourly. She didn't mind sharing her life, no that wasn't a problem with the media. It was always frustrating when the tabloids got involved and too close. As a mother, Demi had her limits.

Kora; sweet, innocent Kora was off limits. That was a line no one had crossed, not even the tabloids -- until now. All because of a stupid custody battle. That would be settled in time.

"Mom!"

Demi turned her head back, watching cameras be shoved in her daughter's face and security struggling to keep the hoards of photographers away. They hadn't caught a break since they left the airport.

"Hurry, Kora." Demi grabbed her daughter's wrist. "The car isn't far."

"What's happening?"

"I'll explain in time." Demi quickened her steps, almost breaking into a sprint. The bottoms of her feet were beginning to hurt from the heels and beads of sweat were pooling on her forehead.

Turning the corner of the hotel, Demi came face to face with even more photographers. She muttered curses under her breath and elbowed her way through, blinded by the flashing lights.

"This way, Mom."

Now it was her daughter who was guiding her. The car was always the same, so Kora always knew that her mother would be inside to pick her up with her driver. But now it proved to be a disadvantage to have it be known, it shone like a fiery beacon for the photographers. Somehow, someway, they both made it inside.

"Step on it!" Demi snapped at her driver, nerves putting her on edge.

"To where, milady?"

"Away from here." She looked through the tinted back window at the mob of photographers. Some chased on foot and others got into a vehicle to follow.

"Mom, please." The desperation dripped off her daughter's voice. "Tell me what's going on."

"Oh, Kora." Demi swallowed a lump in her throat and patted her daughter's hair. "Put on your seatbelt."

"Mom," she whined but followed directions nonetheless.

"I said I would explain. Just not now." Demi faced forward. The roaring engine of motorcycles grew louder as they began crossing a bridge. "Go faster."

"I'm already speeding," the driver reasoned.

"Just loose these pests. Take a-"

White illuminated Demi's vision as the photographers managed to snap more pictures. White light and a sharp jolt of electricity filled her senses.

~~~

Glass shattering. That was the last thing Kora recalled from the drive. The next thing she knew she was coughing up water from her lungs by the bay.

There was a restless humming; energy from people, the sharp beating of the helicopter blades, the waves lapping against the rocks.

Kora sat herself up, every fiber in her being hurting and head spinning, only for a pair of hands to push her back down on the ground.

The water smelled like the dark sky on lonely nights. She couldn't remember much, but that feeling felt the most right in the moment. And she dreamed on the night sky's constellations while being transported to the hospital in a helicopter.

Days went where she slipped in and out of consciousness. But it was mostly the latter.

"... long will she be like this."

"She should make a full recovery." The second voice was much more calm. "We expect her to wake any day now."

"You've said that for the last week."

Week? How long had she been out for? There was the paparazzi...the crash...the water... Her mother.

"Mom," Kora called out in a panic. "Mom!"

A nurse rushed over to her side, but the calm and soothing voice didn't have an effect now that the memories came rushing back.

"I'm so sorry, Kora." A man whom she'd only met once before stood by the door.

"No," she shook her head, wishing that it was all only a dream. That she had just imagined their car go underwater. But no, this was real. The man was Zeus, her father, because her mother was no longer here. "No, no, no, no...." A lump got caught in her throat and her eyes burned as tears pooled. But her body was too exhausted and she couldn't cry.

Everything was fuzzy on the coming weeks. She hadn't expected her father to stay with her for long, considering he'd been absent for almost all her life. But everyday he was there until her release. She answered questions with answers she knew the doctors wanted to hear. The hardest part was finding out she had missed her mother's funeral.

"We can go visit her grave, if you'd like." Zeus offered as they left the hospital. He had his own private jet.

"No, it's fine. Not like I won't be able to watch it online," Kora mumbled. On the flight to her new 'home' Kora watched coverage of the funeral. Flowers and gifts were placed where she and her mother once lived. That's when the tears spilled, and she cried silently. If Zeus heard, he didn't say anything.

Zeus's mansion was much bigger than her mother's. "This is your new home. And I've got you enrolled to Olympio for the fall with the twins..."

Kora simply nodded, words blurring together and getting lost through her ears. She didn't need a new home or siblings. She needed her life back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a time skip and I hope it's not confusing but I'm writing this as inspiration hits while it lasts, but I doubt anyone's reading this lol but if you are thank you for bearing with me

Over a year after her mother's death, Kora was still adjusting to her new life. She'd been. . . distant towards her father, having only met him previously on one short occasion when she was merely a child and could hardly remember.

Living in her father's mansion were also a handful of his kids. Siblings, a new concept to Kora that never seemed to make sense. Sometimes her half brothers would be at each other's throats and the next second they would be laughing at the silliest thing. Odd.

The youngest were Hermes, being ten, and Ares, eleven. Brothers by the same father and different mothers, they stayed over the weekends. Ares had a short fuse and wasn't shy about using his fists instead of words. Hermes was also immature and used words as his weapon.

Almost two years older than Kora were Artemis and Apollo, the twins. They left only during holidays to visit their mother and they didn't speak much about her. They played rough with each other, never afraid to let fights escalate. Kora did find Apollo a bit annoying but with Artemis it was mostly keeping to each other.

The oldest was Athena, law school graduate and at 25 had joined the law firm Olympus as a partner. She dropped by to visit occasionally, and helped out the Con Law Scholars.

"Con Law is a comparative government class and a nationwide competition that delves into the history of democracy," Athena had told Kora when she had first tried to sign her up for it. "It's a great program and I have never met a student with regrets of going through with it. You get to research interesting topics and work with your peers. It is a lot of work but it can also be very fun."

Athena went on about the program, and honestly Kora didn't care at the time (for the most part she had "zoned out") so when asked, Kora agreed to do it.

Mid summer, now, and Kore was putting off a summer assignment for Con Law. Athena had helped her get started on it, suggesting an outline and referencing some philosophers to research on. Other than that she left Kora to figure it out for herself.

Her father used to work in politics, that much Kora knew, but had instead decided to build his business. She figured asking him for help would break some tension between them.

'Maybe if you joined the dinner table during meal times, that would break some tension,' a voice in her head spoke.

"How did colonial experiences...let's skip that one for now. What's the influence of aristocracy..." her father skimmed over the assignment questions. "Oof, you got the hardest questions. Actually, shouldn't your questions be the ones at the top? Since your last name starts with an H?"

"Athena chose them," Kora answered. There was different parts of the assignment with different questions, split up based on last name. But Athena had made an exception for Kora, switching out her questions. "She might've said that you would end up unintentionally doing the essay for me if I got the questions you're referring to."

Her father laughed. "Of course she said that, I wrote the questions. But you know what? I'll connect you with someone better knowledged on... philosophy and political science."

That night she overheard her father making a phone call to Paxton, a good friend of his judging by what she heard of him. But afterwards there was another phone call, one with no laughter.

"...just make sure she gets it done. It's due when school picks up. Which is in three days. . .You know how how Athena is... well, you know? She's Athena... no, she doesn't know and she won't know. . . It's not going behind her back -- there is nothing in the rules that forbids --... Just this once. Yes. Okay.... Goodnight, Aidon."

The next morning Kora would know who "Aidon" was. The call came in at noon through the house phone, minutes after she had woken up and had gone down for breakfast.

"K! It's for you!" Apollo yelled from down the hall.

"Don't yell! She's right here, dumbass," Artemis said as she left the kitchen with an apple.

"Don't yell," Apollo mimicked in a tone of voice reserved only to mock his sister. It led to Artemis throwing her apple at his forehead and what would be the beginning of another one of their fights.

Kora left them to wrestle it out and went over to the phone. "Hello?"

'Persephone?'

A moment of hesitation, where she was silent. No one had called her that name, it was only by people who had seen her full name then she'd correct them. This usually happened on first days of school, and teacher's found it easier to remember Kora than Persephone. But her hesitation caused her her chance to correct the man on the other end.

'I'm Aidon, a defense attorney and an old friend of Zeus's. I've been a judge for Con Law and have coached panels in the past. He told me you were struggling with an assignment and perhaps I can be of assistance. I assume you already know what Con Law is?'

Kore didn't miss the slight pause when he called her father an "old friend." There must've been history, but that would have to wait. To say she was struggling was a huge understatement. "Yes, Athena explained plenty about the class and competition." Most of which she wasn't paying attention to.

'Very well. Have you started on the summer assignment?'

"Sort of?" The fact that she had over 2,000 words left to write made her cringe. No way she would have that done in time, not since she didn't even have sources yet. "I haven't found many sources on my topic and what have found isn't reliable. So I have an outline but it's no good."

'Sources...' the line went silent for a moment, 'I suggest you read "The Titans Coup" which will help you on the topic of colonial experiences. See chapter seven and twelve, specifically. While you're at it, towards the end there's a section on aristocracy. It's a bit difficult to spot but keep an eye out for it in chapter twenty-four. The Articles of--'

"Wait. Let me find a pen to write this down." Kora quickly grabbed a pen and began writing on her arm. "Okay. I think I got them all." Her entire arm was covered in ink. For the rest of the day she was researching and redoing her outline. The next day she finished up writing her paper, which she sent to Aidon to look over.

'This will do,' he told her. Tomorrow school would pick up again. 'You'll get better and it'll become easier over time.'

She thanked him for all his help. She couldn't help but ask if she would see him. "Later in the school year? Will you be coaching any panels with Athena?"

'Unfortunately,' he mumbled.

Although Kora had come to like Athena's stubbornness, she had a laugh at that. "Then I'll look forward to seeing you, Aidon."

Pause.

'Au revoir, Persephone.'

She hung up the phone. Maybe Athena's intuition was right, maybe joining this class wasn't a mistake. For the first time in a long time, Kora was excited.


	3. Chapter 3

One thing Kora wished she'd known about Con Law was how much the class met after school hours. Two weeks into the school year and Con Law had met every single day in addition to class during school. On top of that, there was essays due every other week. Mrs. Walsh, one of the teachers of con law, assured the students that things would change soon.

"We have finally made panels!" She clapped her hands and rubbed them together. The class didn't share the same enthusiasm. "Anyways, it's so exciting. These people will be your new best friends! We'll be traveling to nationals together, so get to know each other."

Mr. Anderson, the other con law teacher, chimed in. "We worked really hard to match you up with people who you would work well with and so you could all have different strengths. If you need help, your panel members will always be there when Mrs. Walsh and I can't. So before we break you up into your panels, please keep that in mind. Become friends, add each other in your contacts. Don't exclude anyone."

Slips of paper were handed out to each student with the information of the Panel members and its coaches. Underneath the coaches's names were their contact information. On the back was an outline of the class with important dates for the rest of the semester.

Kora was placed in "Panel 5" with the "Panel Coach" being someone named Riva Styx and a politics teacher from school, Mr. Culey.

Lucy, a girl Kora had become friends with these past two weeks, sat next to her and sighed. "Dang it. I'm Panel 2. We're not together."

"We'll still see each other," Kora pointed out. "Plus, you have Athena and already know what she's like." She couldn't help but notice one of the names listed under Panel 2's coaches.

"I guess. I just hope this Aidon lawyer isn't as serious as Athena. She can be uptight sometimes."

"Seeing some mixed reactions so far," Mrs. Walsh spoke, gathering the class's attention until the room fell to silence. "As you may have noticed, you all have one Panel Coach who works outside of school who will be coaching you and a teacher here at school who you can go to if you need help during classes."

"Unless you are in Panel 2," Mr. Anderson added. "Then I will talk to you in a minute."

"Yes, yes." Mrs. Walsh looked around the room. The desks were arranged in a "U" shape. There was six panels with six students in each. "In a minute, you will get into your panels. Panel 1 is here," she gestured for where she wanted each panel to sit. "These will be your seats for the rest of the year."

Someone raised their hand. "Can we switch seats with other panel members in our panel?"

"Yes," Mrs. Walsh answered. "Any more questions?" Pause. "No, okay. Please join your panels now."

"Damn. We can't even sit next to each other. Now I have to make more friends with these people."

Lucy's attitude reminded Kora of Artemis, but she didn't comment it. "I'm sure it won't be all that bad."

There was four girls in Kora's panel, including herself, and two boys. They introduced themselves and exchanged phone numbers, which is how they agreed they would communicate. The two boys quickly bonded. The rest, three girls, seemed to already know each other for quite some time. Although they included her in their conversation, Kora couldn't help but feel like they were being "fake nice" in a sense.

+------------------  


Artemis and Apollo were in front of the school in the flashy yellow car by the time Kora was out of Con Law. Although Artemis was in that day's clothes, her uniform shirt with the ripped sleeves and baggy black pants, Apollo was dressed in a nice shirt paired with dark jeans. Apollo was in the driver's seat, using his arms to shield himself from Artemis's hands.

"Not the face! Not the face!"

Artemis went for a punch to his stomach, which was returned by Apollo. When they noticed Kora they settled into their seats, a scowl on Artemis's face.

"Have you guys been waiting since school ended?" Kora asked as she buckled up in the backseat. It wasn't uncommon for Apollo to carry around multiple outfits with him to change throughout the day. Usually it was just one of the twins who picked her up from Con Law, not both. "You're both here."

Apollo answered, "We were going to eat at that restaurant from The States, but the queue was too long so we just placed an order to pick up. We got you a milkshake and a salad with no chicken."

"So are you on your way to pick it up?"

"No, this idiot--" Artemis flicked her finger to her brother's temple "-- wanted me to drive back his car from a party. But I reminded him that you wanted to go so then we went to place the order."

"Oh. I thought we were supposed to go together, Polls?" Kora went to parties with Apollo, with Artemis being their driver for convenience and safety. Most times Artemis just dropped the both them off then left, seldom would she partake in certain activities depending on how she was feeling.

"We are!" Apollo defended himself. From what? He didn't know, but he did know that he was feeling very attacked in the moment. "We can go pick up our food and then smoke at the park and eat before the party."

"Turn the car." Artemis muttered as Apollo went in the opposite direction of their house. "She's not going to a party dressed like that."

"Why not? She looks fine. You know if we leave too late Dad won't let us go out."

It was more of a flawed mentality of Zeus's. They didn't have a curfew, however, they weren't allowed to leave the house after sun down. Zeus figured that if they were out long before sun down, then they would be tired of whatever they were doing and return at a reasonable time.

"You want me to go in my uniform?" Kora asked, genuinely curious.

"No, you'll have time to get ready. It's still 7. APOLLO TURN THE CAR!"

"OKAY! STOP YELLING! IN! MY! EEEEEEEEEAR!"

The car ride to their house was filled with Artemis and Apollo bickering, and the occasional slight scare of the car swerving. The twins stayed outside in the car while Kora quickly changed out of her uniform. Seeing as Apollo was in a hurry, she slipped on a white dress with a brown belt and took her makeup bag with her. Before she could leave she was stopped by Zeus.

"It's getting late."

"Con Law got out late today, we were just put into panels."

"Do you like your panel?"

"Time will tell, but they seem like good people."

Zeus nodded his head. "Good." He always tried to keep the conversation going but Kora didn't make it easy.

"A Hard Rock Cafe just opened up. Artemis and Apollo ordered some milkshakes to pickup and we're going to the park to enjoy them there."

"Okay," Zeus said. "Come back safe -- and tell the twins to not fight and drive."

"Will do. Bye." Kora quickly left.

"So? What he tell you?" Apollo asked as Kora entered the car.

"Just to come back safe and he told me to tell you guys not to fight and drive."

"Oh, that's not too bad." He turned the ignition and started up the car. "We probably shouldn't push it though. I'm thinking we return by 1 to keep him happy?"

"One's good," Kora agreed.

They headed to nearby park. Artemis dropped off Apollo and Kora and went to pick up the food. They found a good spot between two trees.

"We gon' match, K?" Apollo asked as he sat down and pulled out a grinder and a pipe from his duffel bag.

"Sure. I got hemp wraps if you want to roll one while I do my makeup." She handed him a mango flavored wrap and a container of indica. Apollo's strains were almost always sativa or hybrids.

Apollo looked at the container. "You got any of that blue dream left?"

"Nope, sorry." Kora got to doing her makeup, sooner rather than later when daylight would be gone.

When Artemis returned with the food, Apollo and Kora were already done with the joint and had begun taking hits out of the pipe.

"Smoke up," Apollo held up his pipe for Artemis as she came into sight. She pushed his hand away and he passed it over to Kora.

"It's so stupid," Artemis sat down with them. "You guys only talk when you're smoking."

Apollo dug into the bag of food, looking for his. "That's what hash does, Artemis."

"Does what exactly?"

Kora and Apollo looked at each other. Then burst out laughing.

"Brings people together," Apollo said at the exact same time Kora said, "Makes life bearable."

There was silence as they each got their food. Kora ate without speaking, savoring the Americaness of the strawberry milkshake. Sugar, strawberries, and dairy mixing to taste like California dreams. Her hand was cold from holding the milkshake, but she didn't let it go even when it stung her with prickles like the bark of palm trees. The sugar coated the strawberries' sourness like endless summer parties on the beach distracting tourists from skid row.

"...ora?"

It a minute for Kora to realize her name had been called. "Sorry, I didn't catch that."

"You look deep in though there. All good?" Apollo asked and chugged down his milkshake.

"Yeah, sorry. I was just thinking of L.A."

The twins looked at each other and stayed silent.

"The climate is the same here as it is in Cali. Warm, dry summers. And the winter isn't harsh." Her response put the twins at ease. They knew about her mother, but she had yet to talk about it and none of them were prepared for how that conversation would go. "Con Law has been tiring me out and I kinda just want to go to the beach."

"Yeah, the beach sounds nice." Apollo agreed. He smiled his pearly whites at Artemis.

"No." Artemis said without waiting to hear what he had to say. "I have homework. Plus, didn't you want to go to the party to get shitfaced?"

"I wanted to go to the party cuz Stephanie is going." Stephanie was Apollo's current crush. One of many. "Please, Artemis."

"Stephanie is not going to say yes to you. No."

"She totally would," Apollo always stood his ground when it came to girls.

Artemis crossed her arms, hoping it would be the end of the conversation. "No."

"Come on!" Apollo pushed back. "You know Dad won't let me go unless you come with. That's so unfair."

Artemis rolled her eyes. "That's because you would burn the whole house down if you went unattended."

"See! I need you. You could drive us out to the beach house, I bring the booze. You room with Kora, and I room with Steph."

"Stephanie will sleep in her own room."

"Is that a yes?"

"You owe me for this." Artemis finally gave in. "Big time."

Kora laughed at their exchange. "You're going to regret it, Polls. You already owe her so much. She's going to yoink your car."

"Shut up," he got defensive, "no I don't."

Artemis merely smirked, and Kora smiled back.


End file.
